Display device

ABSTRACT

A display device in an embodiment includes a first light emitting region; a second light emitting region located at a position away from the first light emitting region by a first distance in a first direction; a third light emitting region located at a position away from the second light emitting region by a second distance shorter than the first distance in the first direction; a first conductive portion located between the first light emitting region and the second light emitting region as seen from a display plane, the first conductive portion having a first width in the first direction, and a second conductive portion located between the second light emitting region and the third light emitting region as seen from the display plane, the second conductive portion having a second width shorter than the first width in the first direction.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based on and claims the benefit of priority from theprior Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-156445, filed on Aug. 14,2017, and PCT Application No. PCT/JP2018/021533 filed on Jun. 5, 2018,the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The present invention relates to a display device.

BACKGROUND

A display device included in a mobile electronic device such as asmartphone or the like includes a touch sensor at a display planethereof. There are a variety of technologies to realize a touch sensorfunction. Recently, the touch sensor function has been realized by aprojected capacitive system. A display device having the touch sensorfunction of the projected capacitive system is disclosed in, forexample, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2016-81529.

SUMMARY

An embodiment of the present invention provides a display deviceincluding a first light emitting region emitting light toward a displayplane; a second light emitting region emitting light toward the displayplane, the second light emitting region being located at a position awayfrom the first light emitting region by a first distance in a firstdirection; a third light emitting region emitting light toward thedisplay plane, the third light emitting region being located at aposition away from the second light emitting region by a second distanceshorter than the first distance in the first direction; a firstconductive portion located between the first light emitting region andthe second light emitting region as seen from the display plane, thefirst conductive portion having a first width in the first direction,and a second conductive portion located between the second lightemitting region and the third light emitting region as seen from thedisplay plane, the second conductive portion having a second widthshorter than the first width in the first direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a structure of a display device in embodiment 1 accordingto the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a shape of sensor electrodes in embodiment 1 according tothe present invention.

FIG. 3 shows the shape of one of the sensor electrodes in embodiment 1according to the present invention in detail;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a cross-sectional structure of thedisplay device in embodiment 1 according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows a light blocking state provided by the sensor electrode inembodiment 1 according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows a shape of a sensor electrode in a comparative example indetail;

FIG. 7 shows a light blocking state provided by the sensor electrode inthe comparative example; and

FIG. 8 shows a shape of a sensor electrode in embodiment 2 according tothe present invention in detail.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

A display device having a touch sensor function includes, for example, apanel that provides display by an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode)and an electrode that realizes the touch sensor function on the side ofa display plane (hereinafter, such an electrode will be referred to as a“sensor electrode”). The sensor electrode is provided at a positioncloser to the side on which light is output than the OLED, andtherefore, is formed of a transparent conductive material. In the caseof being highly light-blocking, the sensor electrode is located at sucha position as not to prevent light emission of the OLED, or is formed tohave such a shape as not to block light from the OLED. However, even inthe case where the sensor electrode is located at such a position as notto block the light as seen in a direction perpendicular to the displayplane, there may be a case where the sensor electrode blocks the lightas seen in an oblique direction. In such a case, the brightness of thedisplay plane is decreased.

Recently, pixels emitting light of various colors for color display maybe located in a complicated arrangement instead of a so-called stripearrangement or a delta arrangement. Therefore, the amount of light thatis blocked by the sensor electrode may be different color by color inthe case where the sensor electrode is located at a certain position.This may cause a problem regarding display that the ratio of the colorsis changed and thus the tone of the display is changed.

An object of the present invention is to suppress, in a display devicehaving a touch sensor function, a problem regarding display that iscaused when the display is viewed in an oblique direction.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described withreference to the drawings. This disclosure is merely an example, andchanges which would be ready conceivable by a person of ordinary skillin the art while including the gist of the present invention arenaturally encompassed in the scope of the present invention. In thedrawings, components may be shown schematically regarding the width,thickness, shape and the like, instead of being shown in accordance withthe actual sizes, for the sake of clearer illustration. The schematicdrawings are merely examples and do not limit the interpretations of thepresent invention in any way. In the specification and the drawings,components that are substantially the same as those described beforewith reference to a previous drawing(s) bear the identical referencesigns thereto, and detailed descriptions thereof may be omitted.

In the detailed description of the present invention, an expression thata component is “on”, “above” or “below” another component encompasses acase where such a component is in contact with the another component andalso a case where still another component is provided between such acomponent and the another component, unless otherwise specified.

Embodiment 1 [General Structure]

A display device in an embodiment according to the present invention isan organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) display device including an OLED.In this example, the organic EL display device provides color display bya plurality of OLEDs each emitting light of different colors from eachother. In this example, the plurality of OLEDs include an OLED emittingred (R) light, an OLED emitting green (G) light, and an OLED emittingblue (B) light.

The display device has a structure in which a first substrate and asecond substrate are bonded together by a bonding member. The firstsubstrate includes a driving element such as, for example, a thin filmtransistor (TFT) that controls a light emission state of each of theOLEDs. The second substrate acts as a cover that protects componentsprovided in the first substrate. In the case where a cover layer isformed to directly cover the components provided in the first substrate,the second substrate acting as a cover does not need to be provided.

Light emitted from each of the OLEDs located in the first substrate isemitted to a side opposite to the first substrate and is visuallyrecognized by a user through the second substrate. Namely, a displayplane is provided on the side of the second substrate. Such a lightextraction system is a so-called “top-emission system”. The displaydevice has a touch sensor function as described below. In this example,the touch sensor function detects a contact of a finger, a stylus or thelike (in the following description, referred to collectively as the“finger”) on the display plane by an electrostatic capacitance system,more specifically, by a mutual capacitance system. The finger and thedisplay plane do not necessarily need to contact each other to bedetected, and a predetermined distance may be provided between thefinger and the display plane. Namely, the touch sensor detects aposition on the display plane pointed to by the finger points.

[Structure of the Display Device]

FIG. 1 shows a structure of a display device 1000 in embodiment 1according to the present invention. The display device 1000 includes afirst substrate 1, a second substrate 2 bonded to the first substrate 1,and an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit Board) 950 connected with aterminal region 199 of the first substrate 1. A plurality of connectionterminals (not shown) are arrayed in the terminal region 199. A driverIC 901 is mounted on the FPC 950.

The first substrate 1 of the display device 1000 includes a displayregion D1 and a region in which a driving circuit 107 is located. Thedisplay region D1 includes scanning signal lines 101 extending in an xdirection and data signal lines 103 extending in a y direction differentfrom the x direction. The scanning signal lines 101 are arrayed in the ydirection. The data signal lines 103 are arrayed in the x direction.

In this example, the x direction and the y direction cross each otherperpendicularly. At each of positions at which the scanning signal lines101 and the data signal lines 103 cross each other, a pixel 105 islocated. Such pixels 105 are arrayed in the x direction and in the ydirection. A specific positional arrangement of the pixels 105 in thisexample will be described below. In FIG. 1, one signal line extends inthe x direction and one signal line extends in the y direction for onepixel 105. Alternatively, two signal lines may extend in the x directionand two signal lines may extend in the y direction for one pixel 105. Inthe display region D1, a line that supplies a predetermined voltage,such as a power source line or the like, may be located.

The driving circuit 107 is located along a periphery of the displayregion D1, and supplies a predetermined signal to the scanning signallines 101. In this example, the driver IC 901 controls the drivingcircuit 107 based on a signal that is input from an external controller,and supplies a video signal or the like to the data signal lines 103.Any other driving circuit may further be provided around the displayregion D1.

Each pixel 105 includes a pixel circuit (not shown) and a displayelement (not shown) including a light emitting element (OLED). The pixelcircuit includes, for example, a thin film transistor and a capacitor.The light emitting element includes a light emitting region that emitslight under the control of the pixel circuit. In this example, the lightemitting region of each pixel 105 emits red, green or blue light. Thelight emitting region is not limited to emitting red, green or bluelight, and may emit light of any of various other colors.

The pixel circuit controls the light emission of the light emittingelement by various signals including a control signal supplied to thecorresponding scanning signal line 101, a video signal supplied to thecorresponding data signal line 103, and the like. Under the control onthe light emission, an image is displayed in the display region D1. Thelight from the light emitting element passes the second substrate 2 andthus is visually recognized by the user as an image on the side of thedisplay plane.

A touch sensor 800 is located in the display region D1. In FIG. 1, onlya part of the touch sensor 800 is shown for easier explanation of therelationship thereof with other components. The touch sensor 800 islocated closer to the second substrate 2 than the light emitting regionof the pixel 105. Therefore, the light from the light emitting elementpasses a layer including the touch sensor 800 and then passes the secondsubstrate 2, and thus is visually recognized on the display plane by theuser. The touch sensor 800 detects a change in the electrostaticcapacitance between first sensor electrodes 801 and second sensorelectrodes 803 to detect a position on the display plane pointed to bythe finger. An extraction wiring 880 is provided to connect the firstsensor electrodes 801 and the second sensor electrodes 803 to theconnection terminals of the terminal region 199.

[Structure of the Sensor Electrode]

FIG. 2 shows a shape of the sensor electrodes in embodiment 1 accordingto the present invention. The first sensor electrodes 801 and the secondsensor electrodes 803 each have an outer shape along an outer perimeterof a generally square shape having the x direction and the y directionas diagonal lines. The first sensor electrodes 801 and the second sensorelectrodes 803 each have an opening at a position corresponding to thelight emitting region. Namely, the first sensor electrodes 801 and thesecond sensor electrodes 803 are each formed of a so-called mesh-likeconductive body located at a position corresponding to a region otherthan the light emitting region. In this example, the first sensorelectrodes 801 are each formed of a light-blocking metal material, butthe light from the light emitting region passes the opening toward thedisplay plane. The second sensor electrodes 803 have substantially thesame structure as that of the first sensor electrodes 801, namely, areeach formed of a mesh-like conductive body.

Each two second sensor electrodes 803 adjacent to each other in the ydirection are electrically connected with each other. By contrast, eachtwo second sensor electrodes 803 adjacent to each other in the xdirection are separate from each other. Each two first sensor electrodes801 adjacent to each other in the x direction are electrically connectedwith each other via a connection electrode 805. By contrast, each twofirst sensor electrodes 801 adjacent to each other in the y directionare separate from each other. The touch sensor 800 finds a position atwhich the electrostatic capacitance between the first sensor electrodes801 connected with each other in the x direction and the second sensorelectrodes 803 connected with each other in the y direction has beenchanged, and thus detects a position pointed to by the finger. In FIG. 1and FIG. 2, the connection electrodes 805 are located in a layer abovethe first sensor electrodes 801 and the second sensor electrodes 803,namely, closer to the second substrate 2 than the first sensorelectrodes 801 and the second sensor electrodes 803. Alternatively, theconnection electrodes 805 may be located in a layer below the firstsensor electrodes 801 and the second sensor electrodes 803, namely,closer to the first substrate 1 than the first sensor electrodes 801 andthe second sensor electrodes 803.

FIG. 3 shows the shape of one of the sensor electrodes in embodiment 1according to the present invention in detail. FIG. 3 is an enlarged viewof one first sensor electrode 801 shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is enlargedsuch that the positional relationship between light emitting regions andthe openings is understood as seen from the side of the display plane.The first sensor electrode 801 include a conductive portion 811 locatedto form openings 818. The openings 818 are formed to allow light fromlight emitting regions LA to pass toward the display plane. A lightemitting region corresponding to red is represented as “LA-R”, a lightemitting region corresponding to green is represented as “LA-G”, and alight emitting region corresponding to blue is represented as “LA-B”.

In FIG. 3, for the sake of convenience, a light emitting regioncorresponding to green at a specific position is represented as “LA-G1”(second light emitting region). Light emitting regions corresponding tored adjacent to the light emitting region LA-G1 in the y direction arerepresented as “LA-R1” (first light emitting region) and “LA-R2” (thirdlight emitting region). Light emitting regions corresponding to blueadjacent to the light emitting region LA-G1 in the x direction arerepresented as “LA-B1” and “LA-B2”. A region of the conductive portion811 that is located between the light emitting region LA-R1 and thelight emitting region LA-G1 is defined as a first conductive portion 811a, and a region of the conductive portion 811 that is located betweenthe light emitting region LA-R2 and the light emitting region LA-G1 isdefined as a second conductive portion 811 b. The first conductiveportion 811 a and the second conductive portion 811 b are both parts ofthe same conductive portion 811, and therefore, are conductive to eachother. In FIG. 3, the conductive portion 811 is not located between thelight emitting region LA-B1 and a light emitting region LA-B3 adjacentto the light emitting region LA-B1 in the y direction. Alternatively,the conductive portion 811 may be located between the light emittingregion LA-B1 and the light emitting region LA-B3 in the case where thereis a certain distance between the light emitting regions LA-B1 andLA-B3.

The light emitting regions LA of the pixels 105 arrayed in the ydirection are not located at an equal interval. In this example,distance L2 between the light emitting region LA-R2 and the lightemitting region LA-G1 is shorter than distance L1 between the lightemitting region LA-R1 and the light emitting region LA-G1. Width W2 ofthe second conductive portion 811 b is shorter than width W1 of thefirst conductive portion 811 a. Widths W1 and W2 correspond to lengthsin the y direction, namely, lengths in the direction in which the lightemitting regions LA-R1, LA-G1 and LA-R2 are arrayed. It is set such thatas the distance between two light emitting regions LA adjacent to eachother is shorter, the width of the conductive portion located betweenthe two light emitting regions LA is shorter. Such a positionalarrangement suppresses the change in the color ratio as seen in anoblique direction with respect to the display plane. A reason why suchan effect is provided will be described below.

In this example, the distances, in the y direction, between the lightemitting regions LA and the conductive region 811 are equal to eachother. For example, distance SR1, distance SG1, distance SR2 anddistance SG2 are equal to each other. Distance SR1 is a distance betweenthe light emitting region LA-R1 and the first conductive portion 811 a.Distance SG1 is a distance between the light emitting region LA-G1 andthe second conductive portion 811 b. Distance SR2 is a distance betweenthe light emitting region LA-R2 and the second conductive portion 811 b.Distance SG2 is a distance between the light emitting region LA-G1 andthe first conductive portion 811 a.

Alternatively, the distances may have the following relationship:distance SR1 and distance SG1 are equal to each other, distance SR2 anddistance SG2 are equal to each other, and distance SR1 and distance SR2are different from each other. Still alternatively, distance SR1,distance SG1, distance SR2 and distance SG2 may all be different fromeach other. Such a positional arrangement further suppresses the changein the color ratio as seen in an oblique direction with respect to thedisplay plane. A reason why such an effect is provided will also bedescribed below.

In this example, as seen in the x direction, distance L3 between thelight emitting region LA-G1 and the light emitting region LA-B1, anddistance L4 between the light emitting region LA-G1 and the lightemitting region LA-B2, are equal to each other. Width W3 of a portion ofthe conductive portion 811 that is located between the light emittingregion LA-G1 and the light emitting region LA-B1, and width W4 of aportion of the conductive portion 811 that is located between the lightemitting region LA-G1 and the light emitting region LA-B2, are equal toeach other. Widths W3 and width W4 correspond to lengths in the xdirection of the conductive portion 811. In this example, the distancesbetween the light emitting regions LA and the conductive portion 811 inthe x direction are equal to each other. Alternatively, the distances donot need to be equal to each other.

[Cross-Sectional Structure of the Display Device]

Now, a cross-sectional structure of the display device 1000 in a regionincluding a part of the display region D1 and the terminal region 199shown in FIG. 1 will be described.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a cross-sectional structure of thedisplay device 1000 in embodiment 1 according to the present invention.The cross-sectional structure described below is along line A-A′ inFIG. 1. A first support substrate 10 of the first substrate 1 and thesecond substrate 2 are each an organic resin substrate that is flexible.One of, or both of, the first support substrate 10 and the secondsubstrate 2 may be a glass substrate.

A thin film transistor 110 is located on the first support substrate 10while an insulating layer 201 formed of silicon oxide, silicon nitrideor the like is located between the thin film transistor 110 and thefirst support substrate 10. A semiconductor layer of the thin filmtransistor 110 contains amorphous or crystalline silicon. Thesemiconductor layer may be formed of an oxide semiconductor.

Interlayer insulating layers 108 and 200 each having an insulatingsurface are located so as to cover the thin film transistor 110. A pixelelectrode 300 is located on the interlayer insulating layer 200. In thisexample, the interlayer insulating layer 200 has a stack structureincluding an organic insulating layer 210 formed of acrylic resin or thelike and an inorganic insulating layer 220 formed of a silicon nitridefilm (SiN) or the like. The inorganic insulating layer 220 is locatedcloser to the pixel electrode 300 than the organic insulating layer 210.

The pixel electrode 300 is located in correspondence with each of thepixels 105, and is connected with a conductive layer 115 via a contacthole 250 provided in the interlayer insulating layer 200. The conductivelayer 115 is connected with the thin film transistor 110 via theinterlayer insulating layer 108. The conductive layer 115 has a stackstructure in which, for example, an aluminum (Al) layer is held betweentitanium (Ti) layers. The pixel electrode 300 is used as an anodeelectrode of the OLED. The display device 1000 displays an image by atop-emission system, and therefore, the pixel electrode 300 does notneed to be light-transmissive. In this example, the pixel electrode 300includes a layer (e.g., silver-containing layer) that reflects lightemitted by the OLED, and also includes a light-transmissive conductivemetal oxide layer (formed of, for example, ITO (Indium Tin Oxide)) at asurface thereof in contact with the OLED.

A bank layer 400 covers an end of the pixel electrode 300 and a regionbetween two adjacent pixels, and has an opening that exposes a part ofthe pixel electrode 300. In this example, the bank layer 400 is formedof an organic insulating material such as acrylic resin or the like.

A light emitting portion 510 is an OLED, and covers, and is in contactwith, the pixel electrode 300 and a part of the bank layer 400. Thelight emitting portion 510 has a stack structure including layers of aplurality of types of organic materials. In this example, the lightemitting portion 510 has a stack structure including a hole injectionlayer/transfer layer 510, a light emitting layer 513, and an electroninjection layer/transfer layer 515. Between the pixels adjacent to eachother and corresponding to different colors, the light emitting layer513 is divided into a plurality of light emitting layers 513 on the banklayer 400. Such a plurality of the light emitting layers 513 havedifferent compositions in accordance with the color of light to beemitted among red, green and blue.

A light-transmissive electrode 503 covers the light emitting portion 510and acts as a cathode electrode (counter electrode to the pixelelectrode 300) of the OLED. The light-transmissive electrode 503transmits the light from the OLED, and is formed of, for example, ametal layer or the like that is sufficiently thin to transmit the lightor of a transparent conductive metal oxide layer. A light emittingelement 500 including the light emitting region LA includes the pixelelectrode 300, the light emitting portion 510 and the light-transmissiveelectrode 503. The light emitting region LA corresponds to the part ofthe pixel electrode 300 that is exposed by the bank layer 400.

Sealing layers 601, 603 and 605 are provided to cover the light emittingelement 500 and also cover the entirety of the display region to preventmoisture, gas or any other component that deteriorates the lightemitting portion 510 from reaching the light emitting portion 510. Inthis example, the sealing layers 601 and 605 are each an inorganicinsulating layer formed of silicon nitride or the like. The sealinglayer 603 is an organic insulating layer held between the sealing layers601 and 605 and formed of acrylic resin or the like. An organicinsulating layer 650 covers the sealing layer 605. The organicinsulating layer 650 may be omitted.

The conductive portion 811 is located on the organic insulating layer650. The conductive portion 811 has a stack structure in which, forexample, an aluminum (Al) layer is held between titanium (Ti) layers.The conductive portion 811 may contain another material, for example,molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum, chromium, copper, an alloy thereof, orthe like. The conductive portion 811 may be formed of a metal materialof a single-layer structure or a stack structure. The conductive portion811 is formed of a light-blocking metal material. Alternatively, theconductive portion 811 may be formed of a material less light-blockingthan the metal material (material more light-transmissive than the metalmaterial), for example, a conductive metal oxide.

As described above, the conductive portion 811 is located in a meshstate and is included in each of the first sensor electrodes 801 andeach of the second sensor electrodes 802. As can be seen, the conductiveportion 811 included in each first sensor electrode 801 and theconductive portion 811 included in each second sensor electrode 803 arelocated in the same layer in contact with a surface of one, sameinsulating layer (in this example, the organic insulating layer 650).Namely, the first sensor electrodes 801 and the second sensor electrodes803 have the conductive portions 811 formed in the same step. Aninsulating layer 850 covers the conductive portion 811. The insulatinglayer 850 includes an inorganic insulating layer formed of a siliconoxide film or a silicon nitride film.

The connection electrode 805 is located on the insulating layer 850, andis connected with the conductive portion 811 via a contact hole 858formed in the insulating layer 850. As described above, the connectionelectrode 805 is connected with a part of the conductive portion 811 soas to connect the first sensor electrodes 801 adjacent to each other.The extraction wiring 880 is located on the insulating layer 850, and isconnected with the conductive portion 811 via a contact hole 859 formedin the insulating layer 850. The connection electrode 805 and theextraction wiring 880 are in the same layer and are both on theinsulating layer 850. The connection electrode 805 and the extractionwiring 880 may be formed of the same material as that of the conductiveportion 811, or a different material from that of the conductive portion811. The positional relationship of the conductive portion 811 and theconnection electrode 805 in the up-down direction may be opposite tothat shown in FIG. 4. It is preferred that the extraction wiring 880 isformed of an upper conductive layer among the layer used to form theconductive portion 811 and the layer used to form the connectionelectrode 805.

The extraction wiring 880 is electrically connected with a terminalwiring 119 covered with a protective electrode 308 via a contact hole258 formed in the interlayer insulating layer 200. The protectiveelectrode 308 may be formed of the same material as that of the pixelelectrode 300. A part of the terminal wiring 119 that is exposed by thecontact hole 259 is covered with a protective electrode 309. Such acovered part is a part of the connection terminals in the terminalwiring 199. The FPC 950 is electrically connected with the connectionterminal via an anisotropic conductive layer 909.

An organic protective film 700 is provided to fill a gap between thefirst substrate 1 and the second substrate 2 to bond the first substrate1 and the second substrate 2, and is formed of, for example, acrylicresin, which is light-transmissive. In this example, a circularlypolarizing plate 900 is located between the second substrate 2 and theorganic protective film 700. The circularly polarizing plate 900 has astack structure including a quarter-wave plate 910 and a linearlypolarizing plate 920. Such a structure allows the light from the lightemitting region LA to be output to the outside from a display plane DSof the second substrate 2. The cross-sectional structure of the displaydevice 1000 is as described above.

[Influence of the Sensor Electrode on the Light Emission]

Now, an influence exerted by the conductive portion 811 in each of thefirst sensor electrodes 801 and the second sensor electrodes 803 on thelight from the light emitting region LA (light blocking state providedby the conductive portion 811) will be described.

FIG. 5 shows a light blocking state provided by the sensor electrode inembodiment 1 according to the present invention. FIG. 5 shows across-sectional structure of the display device 1000, especially, thepositional relationship between the light emitting region LA and theconductive portion 811. The light from each light emitting region LA isdirected toward the display plane DS with a predetermined expansion. Thedirected light is partially blocked by the conductive portion 811 (thefirst conductive portion 811 a or the second conductive portion 811 b).

For example, among light components directed from the light emittingregion LA-G1, a light component expanding outer to a direction GD1having angle A1 with respect to the front direction (direction having alarger angle than angle A1) is blocked by the second conductive portion811 b. Among light components directed from the light emitting regionLA-R1, a light component expanding outer to a direction RD1 having angleA1 with respect to the front direction (direction having a larger anglethan angle A1) is blocked by the first conductive portion 811 a.

In FIG. 5, distance SR1 between the light emitting region LA-R1 and thefirst conductive portion 811 a, and distance SG1 between the lightemitting region LA-G1 and the second conductive portion 811 b, are equalto each other. Therefore, in the case where the user visually recognizesthe light at angles gradually changing from the direction vertical tothe display plane DS, the light reaching the user from the lightemitting region LA-G1 and the light reaching the user from the lightemitting region LA-R1 are decreased in the same manner by the influenceof the first conductive portion 811 a and the second conductive portion811 b. The distance between the light emitting region and the conductiveportion is set to be equal for all the colors. Therefore, when the angleexceeds angle A1, which is generally the same for all the colors, theamount of the light of all the colors is significantly decreased. Forthis reason, this structure suppresses the change in the color ratio ofat least the green light and the red light as seen from an obliquedirection.

For the relationship between the blue light emitting regions LA-B andthe conductive portion 811, the positional relationship is set insubstantially the same manner, and therefore, the color ratio of blueand another color is suppressed from changing. For example, as shown inFIG. 3, distance SB1 between the light emitting region LA-B1 and theconductive portion 811 in the y direction may be made equal to distanceSG1 or distance SR1. The same is applicable to distance SB2 between thelight emitting region LA-B2 and the conductive portion 811 in the ydirection. Distance SB3 between the light emitting region LA-B3 and theconductive portion 811 in the y direction may be made equal to distanceSG2 or distance SR2.

The same is applicable to angle A2 in a direction opposite to that ofangle A1. More specifically, among the light components directed fromthe light emitting region LA-G1, a light component expanding outer to adirection GD2 having angle A2 with respect to the front direction(direction having a larger angle than angle A2) is blocked by the firstconductive portion 811 a. Among light components directed from the lightemitting region LA-R2, a light component expanding outer to a directionRD2 having angle A2 with respect to the front direction (directionhaving a larger angle than angle A2) is blocked by the second conductiveportion 811 b. This phenomenon occurs because distance SG2 and distanceSR2 are equal to each other.

Distance SG1 and distance SG2 do not need to be equal to each other.Distance SR1 and distance SR2 do not need to be equal to each other. Forexample, regarding a color, among R, G and B, for which a luminancechange is easily recognizable, the distance between the light emittingregion LA and the conductive portion may be made longer, so as todecrease the range of angles in which the light is blocked. DistanceSG1, distance SG2, distance SR1 and distance SR2 may be equal to eachother. In this case, angle A1 and angle A2 have an equal absolute value.

Distance SG1 and distance SR1 are not limited to being equal to eachother. Distance SG2 and distance SR2 are not limited to being equal toeach other. In the case where distance SG1 and distance SR1 aredifferent from each other, or in the case where distance SG2 anddistance SR2 are different from each other, the range of angles in whichthe light of one of the colors is blocked is increased, and thus thecolor ratio may be changed, in a predetermined range of angles. However,as the distance between two light emitting regions LA is shorter, thewidth of the conductive portion 811 located between the two lightemitting regions LA is shorter. Namely, in this example, as long as thecondition that width W2 is shorter than width W1 is fulfilled, the rangeof angles in which the color ratio is changed is decreased as comparedwith in the comparative example described below.

In the case where the conductive portion 811 is formed of alight-blocking material, the influence of decreasing the amount of lightis large as seen in an oblique direction. Nonetheless, even if theconductive portion 811 is formed of a light-transmissive material, theamount of light is decreased in accordance with the transmittance.Therefore, the above-described effect is provided even if the conductiveportion 811 is not formed of a highly light-blocking material such as ametal material or the like.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE

Now, a comparative example will be described in order to make thefeatures of embodiment 1 easier to understand.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a shape of a sensor electrode in a comparativeexample in detail. FIG. 6 corresponds to FIG. 3. In the sensor electrodeof the comparative example, conductive bodies are each located at acenter of a region between light emitting regions LA and have an equalwidth to each other. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, in a conductiveportion 8011 in a first sensor electrode 8001, width ZW1 of a firstconductive portion 8011 a and width WZ2 of a second conductive portion8011 b are equal to each other. In this manner, the conductive portionshave an equal width regardless of the positions thereof. Distance SRZ1and distance SGZ2 are equal to each other, and distance SRZ2 anddistance SGZ1 are equal to each other. Now, an influence exerted by theconductive portion 8011 in the comparative example on the light from thelight emitting region LA (light blocking state provided by theconductive portion 8011) will be described.

FIG. 7 shows a light blocking state provided by the sensor electrode incomparative example. FIG. 7 corresponds to FIG. 5. In this example,among the light components directed from the light emitting regionLA-G1, a light component expanding outer to the direction GD1 havingangle B1 with respect to the front direction is blocked by the secondconductive portion 8011 b. Among the light components directed from thelight emitting region LA-R1, a light component expanding outer to thedirection RD1 having angle B3 with respect to the front direction isblocked by the first conductive portion 8011 a. Angle B3 is larger thanangle B1. Therefore, in the case where the light expands outer to thedirection having angle B1 but inner to the direction having angle B3with respect to the front direction, the light directed from the lightemitting region LA-G1 is blocked, whereas the light directed from thelight emitting region LA-R1 is not blocked. For this reason, in the casewhere the light expands outer to the direction having angle B1 but innerto the direction having angle B3 with respect to the front direction,only the light from the light emitting region LA-G1 is decreased, andthe color visually recognized by the user is changed.

The same is applicable to angles B2 and B4 in a direction opposite tothat of angles B1 and B3. Namely, among the light components directedfrom the light emitting region LA-R2, a light component expanding outerto the direction RD2 having angle B2 with respect to the front directionis blocked by the second conductive portion 8011 b. Among the lightcomponents directed from the light emitting region LA-G1, a lightcomponent expanding outer to a direction GD2 having angle B4 withrespect to the front direction is blocked by the first conductiveportion 8011 a. Angle B4 is larger than angle B2. Therefore, in the casewhere the light expands outer to the direction having angle B2 but innerto the direction having angle B4 with respect to the front direction,the light directed from the light emitting region LA-R2 is blocked,whereas the light directed from the light emitting region LA-G1 is notblocked. For this reason, in the case where the light expands outer tothe direction having angle B2 but inner to the direction having angle B4with respect to the front direction, only the light from the lightemitting region LA-R2 is decreased, and the color visually recognized bythe user is changed.

As described above, in embodiment 1, the width of the conductive portionis made shorter as the distance between two adjacent light emittingregions LA is shorter. As a result, the range of angles in which thecolor ratio is different as seen in an oblique direction is made smallerthan in the comparative example. Especially, distance SG1, distance SR1and distance SB1 are made equal to each other, or distance SG2, distanceSR2 and distance SB2 are made equal to each other. Thus, the range ofangles in which the color ratio is different in the case where thedisplay plane DS is seen in an oblique direction along the y directionis minimized. Regarding the x direction, substantially the same effectis provided by setting the relationship between the light emittingregions LA and the conductive portion 811 in substantially the samemanner as regarding the y direction.

EMBODIMENT 2

In embodiment 1, the conductive portion 811 is located in all theregions between the light emitting regions LA adjacent to each other andemitting different colors of light from each other. In a first sensorelectrode 801A described in embodiment 2, the conductive portion 811 isnot located in a part of the regions between the light emitting regionsLA. The second sensor electrode has substantially the same structure asthat of the first sensor electrode 801A, and thus will not be described.

FIG. 8 shows a shape of the sensor electrode 801A in embodiment 2 indetail. In embodiment 2, the distances between the light emittingregions LA and a conductive portion 811A in the y direction are longerthan in embodiment 1. For example, distance SRA1 between the lightemitting region LA-R1 and a first conductive portion 811Aa is longerthan distance SR1 in embodiment 1. Similarly, distance SGA2 between thelight emitting region LA-G1 and the first conductive portion 811Aa islonger than distance SG2 in embodiment 1. Distance L1 between the lightemitting region LA-G1 and the light emitting region LA-R1 is equal tothat in embodiment 1. Therefore, width W1 of the first conductiveportion 811Aa is shorter than W1 of the first conductive portion 811 ain embodiment 1.

In the case where distance SG1 and distance SR2 in embodiment 1 arerespectively replaced with distance SGA2 and distance SRA1 to be appliedto embodiment 2, width W2 of the second conductive portion 811 b is 0 orshorter. Therefore, in embodiment 2, there is no component correspondingto the second conductive portion 811 b. Namely, the conductive portion811A is not located between the light emitting region LA-G1 and thelight emitting region LA-R2. As can be seen, the conductive portion 811Adoes not need to be present in a part of the regions between the lightemitting regions LA.

A person of ordinary skill in the art would conceive variousmodifications and alterations within the scope of the idea of thepresent invention. These modifications and alterations are construed asbeing encompassed in the scope of the present invention. For example,the above-described embodiments may each have an element added thereto,or deleted therefrom, or may be changed in design optionally by a personof ordinary skill in the art, or may each have a step added thereto, ordeleted therefrom, or may be changed in the condition optionally by aperson of ordinary skill in the art. Such modifications or alterationsare encompassed in the scope of the present invention as long asincluding the gist of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A display device, comprising: a first lightemitting region emitting light toward a display plane; a second lightemitting region emitting light toward the display plane, the secondlight emitting region being located at a position away from the firstlight emitting region by a first distance in a first direction; a thirdlight emitting region emitting light toward the display plane, the thirdlight emitting region being located at a position away from the secondlight emitting region by a second distance shorter than the firstdistance in the first direction; a first conductive portion locatedbetween the first light emitting region and the second light emittingregion as seen from the display plane, the first conductive portionhaving a first width in the first direction, and a second conductiveportion located between the second light emitting region and the thirdlight emitting region as seen from the display plane, the secondconductive portion having a second width shorter than the first width inthe first direction.
 2. The display device according to claim 1, whereinas seen from the display plane, a distance between the first lightemitting region and the first conductive portion and a distance betweenthe second light emitting region and the second conductive portion isequal to each other.
 3. The display device according to claim 2, whereinas seen from the display plane, a distance between the second lightemitting region and the first conductive portion and a distance betweenthe third light emitting region and the second conductive portion isequal to each other.
 4. The display device according to claim 1, whereinat least one of the first light emitting region, the second lightemitting region and the third light emitting region emits light of acolor different from a color of light emitted by the remaining lightemitting region(s) among the first light emitting region, the secondlight emitting region and the third light emitting region.
 5. Thedisplay device according to claim 1, wherein the first light emittingregion emits light of a color that is the same as a color of lightemitted by the third light emitting region and is different from a colorof light emitted by the second light emitting region.
 6. The displaydevice according to claim 1, wherein the first conductive portion andthe second conductive portion are conductive to each other.
 7. Thedisplay device according to claim 1, wherein the first conductiveportion and the second conductive portion each form a part of anelectrode of a touch sensor.
 8. The display device according to claim 1,wherein the first conductive portion and the second conductive portionhave light-blocking property.
 9. The display device according to claim1, wherein the first conductive portion and the second conductiveportion are located on, and are in contact with, a surface of one, sameinsulating layer covering the first light emitting region, the secondlight emitting region and the third light emitting region.